New year, new fighter - a guide to combat sports in 2025

Adrian here again folks, and today I’m going to cover my most recommended tips and goals for the new year, for both beginners and those more advanced in any martial arts you practice. I’ll also include links to the products I find particularly useful from this guide to help you guys find the legit stuff. I’ll cover a variety of quality tips and gear recommendations in this one so buckle up, and let’s go!

1. Gloves

   First off, whether you like it or not, sooner or later you’re going to need a solid pair of gloves that are sturdy and will last you some time. I have had each of my pairs of gloves for a year and a half each, roughly, so it might be about time to find yourself a good replacement to rock in 2025. Early on in my training, I used the Venum Contender gloves, and let me tell you, these gloves are cheap, yes, but also sturdy and more than enough for a beginner to use as well as those more advanced. Although, there are higher quality and better options if you’re looking for something more premium like the Fairtex BVG1 boxing gloves, or the Yokkao gloves for their quality, even if they’re more expensive, the price is warranted, rest assured you will feel the quality of these gloves when you use them.

2. Shinpads/guards

   Much like the previous paragraph about gloves, you will also need a sturdy pair of shinpads you can rely on both for comfort and protection. It’s important, at least to me, to mix quality with good price so that you get a good pair without breaking the bank. A pair like this would be the Twins Special shinpads, the price may be a little high for me to say “affordable”, but if you have a job and don’t mind spending a little over 100 quid, it’s the pair to have, trust me. Another pair with similar features, like high-end foam padding on the inside with a hard outside to still be able to do damage is the RDX Shinpads, they are cheaper than the ones mentioned before but still offer a similar performance level. Regardless of which set you choose, no doubt your training will improve. Take a look at your gear, who knows, it might be high time to replace the old and stinky with shiny and new.

3. Mouthguard/gumshield

   This is something everyone needs, if you value your smile and not having dental bills flying in all the time. Regardless of what sport you train, it is really important to have a good mouthguard that is not worn down or improperly fitted. A story of mine is that I didn’t wear my gumshield for any BJJ classes I did for about a year and a half, maybe two years, but as in any other contact sport, shit happens. There was a few scrambles where my face was caught my an elbow or a knee while trying to escape a position or scrambling to get to a new one after a takedown. In short, I now have three chipped teeth from clashing them together over the years and various accidents. Firstly, wear your gumshield, and secondly, have one that fits and actually protects you, the one I use and have been using for the past while is the Opro Gold gumshield, when my old one was worn out after a while, I went back and got the exact same model again because i loved it so much. This gumshield will give you a very good and comfortable fit with their cage-like structure on the inside while maintaining protection of your gums and pearly whites.

4. Rashguards/attire

   This isn’t essential, but it provides comfort while training, for example, a good pair of Muay Thai shorts and a compression shirt are much more comfortable to train in than a pair of tracksuit bottoms and a cotton T-shirt that soaks up your sweat and get heavy as you train. Plus you have the added bonus of looking like you mean business. You got to admit, a good pair of shorts and a training top just look cool as well. Other than this, sport-specific clothes like a rashguard for BJJ will prevent you from getting irritations on your skin from rubbing and friction of the mat you’re training on. Some good training clothes will also make movement easier, not restricting your movement. That being said, I have found one of each type of attire I would recommend, both from experience and the reputation of the gear within the community. The Fairtex muay thai shorts are a very good pick, with a high quality design and material, also a bit cheaper than their Yokkao premium counterpart. For a compression shirt or a rashguard I would recommend this Venum short sleeve or any of their products really, Venus is a great brand for clothing and training attire.

5. Recovery and rest

   Everyone needs their rest and recovery after training, for some that is a good meal and some sleep, and others prefer a massage or to roll out their muscles with a foam roller, some like to take supplements to boost recovery and training. To those that take supplements or want to start, I would recommend taking a scoop of Creatine daily, or following the package instructions. Protein powder can also be a good idea if you prefer supplements. The supplements I have linked come from well-known and established brands that once again won’t break the bank. For the gadget lovers, a Foam roller or Massage gun would be a good idea to massage muscles and reduce soreness after your training sessions. A good fighter will always give 100% in all of their training sessions and you must be ready for each session to improve. These products will help you recover faster and more effectively whether you’re in fight camp preparing for a fight or just training for the sake of fitness or hobby.

Now you are prepared to enter your new year with all the gear and equipment you’ll need to train hard and become the best version of yourself, remember not to give up on your New Year’s resolutions. New Year, New Fighter is the motto for 2025. Let me know what you think of this article and the products featured here if you get them in the comments section!

That being said, good luck everyone on your fighting journey and until next time here at Fightcentral24!